I've been hard on the team in my few posts here, so I'll take a break today. The only thing better than game 7 is . . . game 7 later in the playoffs. This isn't a Stanley Cup year, so I'm going to enjoy this one. It's great experience for the younger guys, and it'll be even greater if they can dispatch a tough opponent on the road.

But I'm not going in with that expectation. The Ducks were the best team in the conference not named Hawks. They earned the 2 seed. The way I see it, they're the screw-ups who can't seem to put this series away. The Wings are playing with house money tonight.

Hopefully we get an early goal and make it stick for a while. Supposedly the Ducks are loose, but I have to think they'll start getting tight if they go behind, and can't solve Howard. They've come back before in the series, but that wasn't under game 7 pressure.

I've been hard on the team in my few posts here, so I'll take a break today. The only thing better than game 7 is . . . game 7 later in the playoffs. This isn't a Stanley Cup year, so I'm going to enjoy this one. It's great experience for the younger guys, and it'll be even greater if they can dispatch a tough opponent on the road.

But I'm not going in with that expectation. The Ducks were the best team in the conference not named Hawks. They earned the 2 seed. The way I see it, they're the screw-ups who can't seem to put this series away. The Wings are playing with house money tonight.

Hopefully we get an early goal and make it stick for a while. Supposedly the Ducks are loose, but I have to think they'll start getting tight if they go behind, and can't solve Howard. They've come back before in the series, but that wasn't under game 7 pressure.

Either way, thankfully my first meeting on Monday isn't 'til 10.

They say they're loose, but would you be? This was supposed to be an easy series for them, but the wings have given them fits all series long. They're going to come out at least as tight and careful as they were in game six. If anything, the wings are the team that is loose. Let's steal one here boys!

But we are still alive and can see our team in a game seven and all that during a rebuilding season. What a great effort. I really hope we win this tonight but if not I won't care that much. Because up to this point this was one of the most tense seasons as a Red Wings Fan. You simply cannot ask for much more as a sportsfan. Let's GO Wings !

Forgot to mention - the wife bought me a beard trimmer yesterday. Detroit, do not let that be a purchase in vain!

Shaving is not an option!

"If I can be totally honest, it's not a lot of guys you get impressed by. Actually, it's no one else but him. From the bench, to see what move he makes -- you're like, 'I wish I could do that.' Sometimes you sit on the bench and just think, 'wow,' and you look over to the other bench and they sit there and shake their heads, too. He has great, great skills. I'm probably not going to play with another player who has the kind of skills he has." Mikael Samuelsson on Pavel Datsyuk